The present invention relates to apparatus and method for automatically uniting two discrete lengths of web such as woven or knitted fabrics.
Heretofore, numerous types of equipment and techniques have been employed for joining two discrete lengths of textile material such as woven and knitted fabrics, generally in order to provide an indeterminate length of material for passage through a particular piece of process equipment. A continuous operation obviates the necessity for a roll-by-roll batch operation which is time consuming, and also counter-productive as to efficient operation of state of art processing equipment. Typically, in conjunction with a material accumulator or system, or in an environment where interruption of a processing machine is not critical, operators have historically placed a trailing end of one length of material and a leading end of a next length of material in a juxtaposed arrangement and sewn thereacross to create an appropriate joining seam. Similarly, techniques have also involved the joining of the leading and trailing ends of discrete lengths of material by other means such as heat sealing, and the like.
In each type of joining technique noted above, it is necessary for an operator to first be aware of the time when the production of a seam is necessary, and secondly to be physically present at the machine in order to facilitate manufacture of the joining seam. While in certain circumstances large rolls of material are utilized with seams normally only required once in a relatively prolonged period of time, the arrangement is still problematical. For example, should the material being processed become damaged, it is then necessary for an operator, once learning of the damage, to physically appear at the machine and manipulate the material to repair or remove the damaged portion of the material and to create a further seam thereat.
Typically, a single operator is assigned to a plurality of the processing machines in attempts to minimize labor intensity of the operation. With such an arrangement, should more than one machine assigned to a single operator require seaming at or about the same time, obviously the operator cannot simultaneously handle both assignments at the same time. It then becomes necessary to bring in a further operator, or to shut down one of the machines until such time as a joining seam can be produced. Not only does the machine down time result in lost production, but additionally, judgment of the operator as to whether a particular defect in a fabric should be repaired may be influenced by the operative condition of other machines and/or the willingness of the particular operator to in fact, perform his assigned task.
The present invention overcomes the problems noted above, in that, though an operator is still necessary, a lesser number of operators should be required on a per machine basis, and also the physical presence of the operator at the machine is only required on a very limited basis. Operator presence is normally required to make a judgment as to the necessity of repair of a defect with manufacture of the seam being accomplished automatically. The present invention thus represents significant improvement over prior systems and is not believed to be anticipated or suggested thereby.